CAMP OVEN BREAD

With the advent of bread makers also came the packet bread mix. Many of these consist of a packet of flour mix and a sachet of yeast. Although made specifically for bread makers most carry instructions for hand making.

Invariably all this consists of is mixing the yeast with the flour, adding the correct amount of water and mixing to a dough, the dough is then kneaded for around ten to fifteen minutes, allowed to rise in a warm place for forty-five minutes to an hour, re-kneaded for a short time and again allowed to rise then baked in a moderate oven.

What this did for camp oven cooks was to provide a ready source of ingredients to make beautiful fresh crusty bread in your camp oven.

One key process in making any bread is to find a nice warm place for it to rise. In the bush this is no problem with two ready sources. Inside your tent or inside your car. Most tents are nice and warm during the day and the inside of a car, even sitting in the sun on a freezing winters day collects quite a bit of warmth. I always place the dough in a pan covered in a damp tea towel for the first rise and then the camp oven for the second one.

Following the above simple processes and the instructions on the packet how about you give camp oven bread a go. It's much easier to carry a few small bags of flour mix with you than whole loaves of bread and the aroma created while baking will bring neighbors visiting.

Here are a few photos of some of mine.

A loaf of fresh camp oven bread cooked in a loaf tin in a twelve inch camp oven

See the flat top. It rose up to the underside of the camp oven

A new loaf cooling

HOW'S THAT FOR CAMP OVEN BREAD

With bread rolls you need to divide the dough into suitable sizes after the first rise

After the second rise these have had grated cheese and bacon sprinkled on top before baking